Many of the Baugh families in the USA trace their ancestry to colonial Virginia. This web site is intended to be a compendium of the research done on William Baugh, who is said to have immigrated to Virginia in the 1630s, and his descendants. Much has been published on this family in various Virginia historical books and family histories, some of it accurate, some not so accurate. As is often the case with family histories, once something is in print, it often is considered to be "gospel". It is my hope that this web site will facilitate a critical examination and discussion of the facts, legends, and myths surrounding this Baugh family and to allow us Baugh researchers and descendants to learn more about our origins and our relatives' contributions to early America.

The surname "Baugh" is of English origin. However, especially before 1800, German surnames were routinely anglicized. Barth became Beard, Zimmerman became Carpenter, and Bach became Baugh. Thus there are two groups of Baughs in the United States. Probably the more numerous are Baughs of English origin, largely descended from early settlers in Virginia. Many of these Baughs migrated to various parts of the South. Of German Bachs, some kept the original spelling, some changed to "Back," and one family in particular changed to Baugh.

This book details more than 1300 descendants of Thomas BAYS (1798-1886), the son of John Franklin BAYS and Mary Ann KNIGHT. Many collateral family connections: ABBOTT, BLAKE, CHILDERS, HOBBS, JENSEN, LINIGAR, RADFORD, REESE, SHEEHAN, TREADWAY.

The BearFamilyHistory group is for the discussion of the Bear family genealogy and related families, as well as to trade family files and photo's. The earliest known Bear in my line is George Washington Bear and his wife, Martha Ann Mullins. We gratefully accept any one researching this or any related family.